AMERICAN EXPERT: AZERBAIJAN IS INCREASINGLY A CONFIDENT AND INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL ACTOR

Today
Dec 25 2009
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Associative Director of the Eurasian Energy
Center at the Atlantic Council (U.S.) Alexandros Petersen.

Was the year 2009 fruitful in terms of settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

The presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia met more than ever before
in 2009 and if reports about those meetings are accurate, we are very
close to seeing progress on resolution. This year also saw the added
impetus of the Armenia-Turkey protocols, which have lent urgency to
the process on Nagorno-Karabakh.

What do you expect from 2010 in resolution of the conflict?

Early 2010 should see whether this added urgency is positive. We
may see normalization of relations among all three parties. We may
see rising tensions. But, 2010 ought to be a decisive year. I hope
that 2010 will be the year of great progress on Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement

How would you comment the U.S. Congress decision to allocate $8 mln
to the separatist regime of Nagorno Karabakh in 2010 financial year?

This is an enormously regrettable move in Congress, but that said,
the incident provides an interesting window into the deliberately
inefficient U.S. system of government. The separation of powers and
the weakness of political parties allows for populist congressmen
to make such an allocation without the Executive Branch – the White
House and the cabinet – having much say in the process, even though
Democrats control both branches of government.

The move was motivated by congressmen playing to their very
politically active Armenian-American constituents, but has no
bearing on whether the U.S. as a country recognizes the separatist
entity in Nagorno-Karabakh. This should be interpreted as message to
Azerbaijani-Americans to become more politically active in the U.S.

After all, it is U.S. voters that Congress will listen to the most.

Azerbaijan has presented a note of protest against the U.S. Congress
decision. What are your views in this regard?

This is a sign that Azerbaijan is increasingly a confident and
independent international actor. That is positive for both Azerbaijan
and the U.S. I do not think it will seriously harm bilateral relations,
but the move by the U.S. Congress definitely throws a monkey-wrench
into the very sensitive negotiations over Nagorno-Karabakh, where the
U.S. is playing a major role. The Azerbaijani ambassador’s note will
underscore this fact.